Bird's-eye view of Ruby Inn and Skagit River, near proposed site of Ruby Dam, June 18, 1919

• Other Authors: University of Washington Libraries. Special Collections Division
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1919
• Subjects: Hotels > Washington (State); Mountains > Washington (State); Rivers > Washington (State); Ruby Inn (Wash.); Skagit River (B.C. and Wash.); Big Beaver Creek; Beaver Creek
• Online Access: http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/ww-swps/id/263

Photographs of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project constructed between 1918-1961. The name of Ruby Dam was changed to Ross Dam in 1939 after the death of J.D. Ross, Seattle City Light Superintendent from 1911-1939, best known for securing and constructing the Skagit River Project. For several years John McMillan ran a roadhouse located at the confluence of the Skagit River and Ruby Creek. This roadhouse, known in later years as the Ruby (Creek) Inn, may have been in operation since the onset of the gold rush. It is not known who built it, but McMillan did request a permit for its use as a roadhouse in 1916 from USFS Ranger Tommy Thompson. In this location McMillan could provide services to prospectors heading up Ruby Creek and beyond to the Slate and Canyon Creek mining districts. How many years McMillan ran the roadhouse at Ruby Creek is not known, but Ranger Thompson did visit him there as late as October of 1919. A retired USFS employee of the Skagit District, whose father was a mining and trapping partner of John McMillan, claims that McMillan operated the roadhouse at Ruby Creek before establishing his permanent home along Big Beaver Creek. [Source: North Cascades National Park web site, http://www.nps.gov/noca/hrs3-4m.htm] Caption on image: 5041. 6-28-19 Caption below image: "Ruby Inn" and scene - showing part of Skagit basin above mouth of Ruby Creek. PH Coll 45.2-55